Xbox Design Lab remains inactive since December and there are no clear signs of its return, we tell you what may be happening

The Xbox Design Lab service has been inactive for over 6 months without clear explanation.

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Since late 2024, one of the most popular services among Xbox fans has been out of commission. We’re referring to the official controller customization platform, which allowed users to create unique designs from the web, with colors, materials, and engravings to the player’s liking.

The website remains active and allows designing controllers, sharing creations, or downloading 3D files, but purchases have been suspended for over six months. What’s most concerning is that Microsoft hasn’t provided an estimated date for its reactivation, nor has it offered public updates since the original message.

Xbox Design Lab hasn’t allowed controller purchases since December 2024

Currently, when entering Xbox Design Lab, the same notice appears that has remained unchanged for months: “Purchases are temporarily suspended while we transition to a new payment platform.” Since December, this message has remained intact, and there are no visible signs of progress or specific deadlines.

Several users have expressed skepticism on social media and forums, voicing their frustration over the lack of communication. Although the promise to resume sales remains, no hints or clear answers have been provided, and some fear that the service has been indefinitely put on hold. For many, especially those with designs saved from a long time ago, the situation is becoming increasingly disappointing.

Xbox Design Lab is Microsoft’s official platform for customizing Xbox controllers. It allows users to choose colors for each part of the controller (case, buttons, directional pad, sticks…), add engravings, change materials, and create unique designs directly from the web. Once the design is complete, the controller could be purchased and received at home. For now, users can only design, but not buy.

Tariffs, China, United States…

Although officially, it’s stated that the reason is a change in the payment platform, it can’t be ruled out that behind the prolonged closure, there are deeper causes. The manufacturing of these customized controllers takes place outside the US, specifically in China, and the current context of new tariffs and increased international logistics costs could have directly affected the service.

This is added to the fact that individualized production has a high cost, and Design Lab’s commercial margin could have been compromised. All this reinforces the idea that Microsoft is evaluating whether to relaunch it or close it definitively, although for now, the message of “temporary suspension” remains.